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Translational Leadership in the 21st Century

Translational leadership is a new buzz word spiraling around the playing fields of virtually every industry today. It’s loosely defined as one adept at connecting, mediating, teaching, behavioral economy and social engineering. They demonstrate an uncanny ability to knit together different constituencies and institutions, brokering relationships and transactions across different levels of political, economic and social organization. Perhaps a ‘harmonist’ might even be a better term.

What does that mean and how might we engage this concept as individuals who wish to contribute to developing a better world? People are the greatest resource. Most folks are so busy with their localized environment on a daily basis that even if they are engaged in a process or product that could change the world, they don’t have time to look up let alone look around them. These are the ones whose dedication and drive produce breakthroughs. Translational leaders would, by definition, be able to recognize and further expand their work through their connections with like-minded or complementary resources. The effectiveness of their work could indeed go from local to global in a relatively short time.

Those same dedicated individuals and/or groups also have strained communications at times. Not everyone listens or speaks with the same understanding and conflict arises. Translational leadership recognizes the diversity in a group, sometimes even between two individuals and is not only capable of commanding respect, they are adept at mediating and mitigating the potential problems. Issue resolution becomes another hat, a bit different than DeBono, and is a tool often used in the process of mission and vision fulfillment. These negotiators do their work with style and grace, stepping in when and where needed without restraint.

Setting an example for others is a primary component of translational leaders, teaching those around them by showing how the work is done. Most translational leaders are adept at engaging those around them by drawing upon personal inspiration and motivation to do their best. Translational leaders know they are responsible for the morale and tone of the working environment and act to ensure the voices of all are heard and recognized as valid. Everyone is part of the process, whatever it may be, and the lessons of developing effective communication result in performance excellence.

Behavioral economy is a relatively new term as well. The study of behavioral economics includes how market decisions are made and the mechanisms that drive public choice. A translational leader knows how to leverage the motivations of the personalities in their environment to engage better results. There is a kind of social currency involved here, where heightened individual influence weighs heavily on the outcome of the choices and decisions of the company, group or organization. It is usually a good thing when ideals, like the ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Standards, are in place.

Social engineering precepts are based on cognitive biases, specific attributes of human decision-making processes. In the purest sense it is the manipulation of those cognitive biases to produce specific choices and responses. Translational leaders use this technique as a facilitation technique to guide their teams to decisions that are in alignment with best practices for collaborative functionality, for instance. Of course the powerfully persuasive techniques can be used for less than beneficial results, but the ethical practices of the translational leaders are usually such that they will rise above petty temptations to use their power for personal gain at the expense of others.

As we move forward into the 21st Century there are obvious constraints and problems we face as a human race and planetary civilization. Our technology has surpassed the capacity for massive destruction. Our air, land and water have been polluted nearly beyond repair, yet we are resilient and can turn the tide of despair to a new destiny of repair through the efforts of these translational leaders. We can focus on fixing the world’s greatest problems and develop solutions that will benefit humankind when we learn how to get along better; a key feature of the translational leader’s guidance.

How can we assist these new leaders. Look for them. They may be anywhere and functional in the informal networks that develop within organizations. Promote them and offer your allegiance to those who prove worthy. Our world is changing rapidly and we need the best folks for the job in place so that we create sustainable relationships with present and future conditions.

Future thought… Adhocracy is a primarily structureless organization used to solve various problems. It is a type of organization that operates in opposite fashion to a bureaucracy. Would this type of organization be conducive to the translational leaders? Would the concept of ‘harmony’ be appropriate when considering the nature of facilitating people, places and things to do stuff?

A New World Order –

Harmony among People and Planet in Our Lifetime

The phrase ‘new world order’ creates concern in the hearts and minds of people everywhere. Why? There are two versions of this scenario. The polarity this creates offers a unique opportunity to view their reality. It presents the chance to examine, compare and contrast to determine what resonates as truth for each or whether there is a progression from one to the other somehow. Let us take a quick tour on a cursory level; a 30,000 foot view if you will.

From Wikipedia – The common theme in conspiracy theories about a New World Order is that a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian world government—which replaces sovereign nation-states—and an all-encompassing propaganda that ideologizes its establishment as the culmination of history’s progress. Significant occurrences in politics and finance are speculated to be orchestrated by an unduly influential cabal operating through many front organizations. Numerous historical and current events are seen as steps in an on-going plot to achieve world domination through secret political gatherings and decision-making processes.

Alternative view – The uncommon theme is an evolving New World Order that is happening organically through the rising of consciousness in humanity. It is serendipitous and synchronistic in the awareness of the individual or group. It is a process of the development of harmony among people and planet stemming from the intrinsic natural order embedded in our consciousness and linked within the genetic codes we have perceived as being inactive. It is the next level of evolution of our planetary civilization, but it doesn’t come without challenges. It certainly does not come with a magic wand as a panacea.

This new world order also has numerous historical indicators across ancient texts and cuneiform references. The process of chaos to order includes the manipulated efforts of the ‘control group’ so to speak, yet does not end there. This, too, shall pass in its time and with due process because it was forced into manifestation and does not resonate with natural order. Significant cosmological occurrences coincide with the political and financial indicators purported to be part of the culmination of the old world order masquerading as a new. We’re looking for sense to be made common.

Humans are the creation of cosmic consciousness condensing into form; light and sound lowering in vibratory rate through conscious volition. It has been happening for millennia, with an evolutionary leap occurring during one of the rotations of the Milky Way Galaxy around the Central Suns. It shows up as the ‘missing link’ in the evolutionary chart. The Big Bang had two aspects; one of consciousness and one material, created by the same universal consciousness that permeates all things in the space between the particles. Humans are just now beginning to perceive this consciousness enmasse through deep meditation and/or psychotropic journeys of the last half-century.

The experiencer or seeker arrives at a level of consciousness deep within being human that pulses with the heartbeat of creation, much slower than perceptually available to waking consciousness. Evidence of this can be found in references to the ‘sound current’ or Shabda. It is heard with the inner ear and often is confused for tinnitus at first. Through conscious effort at attaining silence and/or spontaneous quietude of a psychotropic experience this sound lowers and opens the consciousness to other worlds within.

Further evidence of this natural order shows up in the cross-references contained in the Chinese, Egyptian, Hindu, Hopi, Mayan and Sumerian calendars. Each one of the interpretations of these calendars alludes to a change of consciousness within the human race that leads to a new world order of significant transformation toward a greater good for all. The point of transition seemed to be the winter solstice of 2012 and thousands if not millions prepared for ‘something’ to happen. Nothing did outwardly and the chaos only continues to get worse.

We are indeed moving from one age to another. How is the chaos changing to order?

Earthquakes or natural disasters happen quickly. Planetary civilizations evolve slowly. Apparently the exponential rise in consciousness and drive for understanding began around the Harmonic Convergence, even though it was seeded by the efforts of explorers and pioneers of the 60s and 70s. Thanks to Paul Ray, Sherry Anderson and Malcolm Gladwell we can relate to the ‘tipping point’ of a ubiquitous rise of consciousness in the Cultural Creatives and their will to do good.

This rise in consciousness equates to understanding natural order and resonance with a theme of harmony among people and planet. The speed of surrender within the individual to the theme determines the smoothness of the transition. Understandably so, the process of chaos to order applies and the rise of a new civilization comes through the fall of another. It is a process, however painful, and results in a new world order.

The 25-year window on the other side of the 2012 Solstice, referencing the 50-year window that began with the Harmonic Convergence cosmological event, now offers the opportunity to implement what we’ve learned. It has begun with rapid advancement of sensitivities in many already, like the ‘clair-alls’ manifesting in an amazing number of people. The thoughtmosphere is ripe with new fruit and those who have remained faithful and true to the inner drive for understanding through faith, love and trust are harvesting greater clarity in the use of their natural abilities and skill sets developed through education and vocation.

The next steps appear to be conversations focusing solely on our capability, compassion and cooperative efforts to create better systems and technology to deliver food, clothing, health care and shelter to all. Inhibiting those conversations are distractions introduced by well-meaning individuals and groups that want to focus on the ills of our world instead and expose the nefarious acts of others. In truth, that action in itself is a nefarious act and stifles the flow of creative energy that empowers the smooth transition, yet their consciousness has not evolved to recognize it yet. This is neither good nor bad, just part of the process of transformation.

What we can do is encourage each other to remember the principle of energy following thought and do our best to limit the attention we give to what we do not want, such as the nefarious actions of others who wish to control our world’s resources for selfish gain. That does not mean we are in denial that it is happening – quite the contrary. What it means is we are better equipped than to let our thoughts get distracted.

As we think and act together, so shall the world change before our very eyes. What do you feel or see now as a result of reading this article? Is it on target or out of bounds? Why?

Entrapment or Intelligence?

In some cases one might consider having a bunch of letters behind their name a sign of accomplishment. In others it only validates an old adage of ‘the more I know the more I realize I don’t know.’ At times the letters create more boundaries to knowledge than they share, limiting the mind’s peering into further depths because of the constraints of the ‘degrees’ that separate. How separate we get before we begin to learn how to come together for a common purpose is an aspect of intelligence.

Is there a potential of bridging boundaries or of finding some harmony in the chaos we witness in the world today? Certainly we can agree that our planetary civilization is evolving, even though it may only appear as pockets of progress currently.

Man surely is realizing there is much more to our nature than has been nurtured by and through our intellectual and spiritual development. The two often create vastly different approaches to resolving common issues we all face. We look out into the cosmos and can confirm there is indeed one creation that we can all witness, yet there are a plethora of postulates and projections as to how it operates and who is in charge. Some have no desire to explore such matters and focus on doing what is deemed ‘best’ for the daily activities of supporting their family and performing their job, Others obsess over conspiracy theories about control and dominance of the human race and loose sight of what matters in the moment.

Sometimes the advantage of intelligence keeps one dancing around the circle of perspective and exploring each of the points along the line to the point of entrapment. The observer gets caught up in the process and stifles the ability of the participant to engage life. This seems to happen across the gamut of human experience from personal to professional, community to corporate. Now it is easy to see this when one remains in the eye of the storm. However, life is spinning around the observer in the storm itself.

An old favorite, Aurobindo Ghose, presented the notion that it is easier to enter the chaos and find one’s center, then to choose when and where to re-enter with a sense of direction and/or purpose. In today’s world the deeper one looks into the nature of his/her life and the purposeful direction of it, the more one is confronted with the conflicting notions of dominance and submission to a variety of ‘wills’ and the management of attention to them.

Can we find balance and/or harmony within the dominant culture or do we need a shift to the submissive side?

As we begin to realize there are some natural patterns the appear throughout creation, maybe there is good cause to pause and reflect on the mathematical precision present in them. It would seem to make sense that the pendulum would begin to swing toward finding ways to become aligned with these patterns instead of dominate our environment and society through forced behaviors.

Just how is our intelligence going to release us from the entrapment of our ill-fated dominance and near destruction of our planet?

In the author’s opinion, we have to first agree collectively that there is a need. Decades of data-driven decisions (depending on who’s data) have driven us to the brink of global annihilation, not because of weapons of mass destruction but because of poor planetary resource management and use. Like it or not, we’re driven by a fossil fuel economy. Good or bad isn’t the point now as it seems apparent we need a change. How we engage that change will determine how quickly we move beyond the entrapment and demonstrate intelligence as a human specie instead of a human race.

Doesn’t that just set things up? I’m going to twist the reference into something you probably didn’t expect. I’ve been researching the nature of self-development for many decades, applying the research to changing my own life as well as the many clients and organizations I’ve had relationships with over the years.

There has been an overwhelming notion that the core competencies in any successful individual and/or organization are simple: faith, love and trust. I’ll explain what I mean by that further. We’ll look at common definitions and and extended understand extrapolated from the common understanding in hopes of making sense common. The latter brings with it a more well-adjusted and available experience in personal and professional arenas.

Faith

In religion, faith often involves accepting claims about the character of a deity, nature, or the universe. While some have argued that faith is opposed to reason, proponents of faith argue that the proper domain of faith concerns questions which cannot be settled by evidence. For example, faith can be applied to predictions of the future, which (by definition) has not yet occurred.

The word faith is often used as a substitute for hope, trust or belief.”

So this would indicate that ‘faith’ is primarily something associated with religious or spiritual belief systems. What if it were also associated with ‘experience’ systems, those things we grow to know through our experience and understanding?

I would offer that it goes much further in practical application for everyday living. We have faith in many things that guide and nurture our lives. Most of the time that faith is built on experience with people, places and things. In some cases we might say it is more of a ‘knowing’ that develops over time, but with each new situation that ‘faith’ of certain things being present is undeniable. It is a core competency of our efforts to achieve anything worthwhile.

What about the people, places and things in our lives? Can we have faith in them? Of course. Our faith my be tempered by experience. We have faith that certain actions or words will cause a domino effect, cascading into the natural outcome if unaltered or unchecked. Faith also allows us to put people, places and things together on the fly when required to address action plans or emergencies. The former can be just as stressful as the latter, yet with the faith one has in their ability to perform the results are only a matter of time.

There is also a certain faith folks carry who feel they are part of something greater. In our current planetary position, there are a rising number of what were once called Cultural Creatives™ who sense an imperative need to change our attitudes toward fear-based belief systems. Instead of focusing on what is ‘wrong’ they are turning toward developing solutions for the challenges we face as a planetary civilization. The operation of such a movement begins in local communities with leaders who serve through challenging legislators to do what is beneficial for the health of the community and its residents. There is a certain ‘faith’ that drives these folks in doing what needs to be done.

Love

From Wikipedia: “The English word love can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from pleasure (“I loved that meal”) to interpersonal attraction (“I love my partner”). It can refer to an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection—”the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another”.And it may describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other humans, one’s self or animals.

In terms of interpersonal attraction, four forms of love have traditionally been distinguished, based on ancient Greek precedent: the love of kinship or familiarity (in Greek, storge), the love of friendship (philia), the love of sexual and/or romantic desire (eros), and self-emptying or divine love (agape). Modern authors have distinguished further varieties of romantic love. Non-Western traditions have also distinguished variants or symbioses of these states. This diversity of uses and meanings, combined with the complexity of the feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define, compared to other emotional states.

Love in its various forms acts as a major facilitator of interpersonal relationships and, owing to its central psychological importance, is one of the most common themes in the creative arts. Love may be understood as part of the survival instinct, a function to keep human beings together against menaces and to facilitate the continuation of the species.”

I want to offer a little twist the concept of LOVE. Let’s expand it to Limitless Oscillating Vibrational Energy – it just IS. I trust that paints an appropriate picture. LOVE is in action, it is alive in and around us always, coursing through every person and situation we encounter. We can feel it in our humble and quiet moments. We share the sensation we do the things that bring us happiness and joy. We don’t talk about it much, though. We talk about everything else, but what really matters; to love and be loved. At our core, we all desire the same thing, yet we act out in some amazing ways to produce just the opposite; isolation and separation when we put conditions on people, places and things.

Conversely when the little ego rises to the big Ego, the inspired self, it changes the game entirely. The sensation is sought after and recognized as a resonance that is undeniable. The Limitless Oscillating Vibrational Energy becomes a guiding beacon rather than a subtle distraction. To think it just magically appears is probably not far off the mark, when one releases their fear of … then a new freedom appears and the sensation of LOVE along with it. Sure, it is a challenge to engage this kind of activity or discussion in most public gatherings or workplaces. Still, if you don’t, who will?

LOVE, in this sense, is absent of emotion yet full of feeling. The reality is a paradox in play with the mind as it grabs for meaning and practicality. I would go so far as to say it is a natural state of the universe, a sensation that is felt in every living creature in some form or another. It sounds really simplistic, but then so does quantum physics view of the appearance of the particle or wave depending on the observer. So, LOVE is difficult to consistently define, beyond the emotional states. It is easy to sense, though, permeating our being and our lives.

The little ego begins to understand the Supra Ego, the Inspired ONE, engaged and enveloped by LOVE. How does this change our behavior? When we aspire to engage the sensation in all we do, everything changes and what once seemed insurmountable might seem as just a bump in the road on our journey. In our current state of affairs and social challenges it is even more imperative that this consciousness, this understanding and wisdom, prevails in our every deed and thought. We can demonstrate, but not dominate the conversation.

Trust

From Wikipedia: “In a social context, trust has several connotations. Definitions of trust typically refer to a situation characterized by the following aspects: One party (trustor) is willing to rely on the actions of another party (trustee); the situation is directed to the future. In addition, the trustor (voluntarily or forcedly) abandons control over the actions performed by the trustee. As a consequence, the trustor is uncertain about the outcome of the other’s actions; he can only develop and evaluate expectations. The uncertainty involves the risk of failure or harm to the trustor if the trustee will not behave as desired.

Trust can be attributed to relationships between people. It can be demonstrated that humans have a natural disposition to trust and to judge trustworthiness that can be traced to the neurobiological structure and activity of a human brain, and can be altered e.g. by the application of oxytocin.

Conceptually, trust is also attributable to relationships within and between social groups (families, friends, communities, organizations, companies, nations etc.). It is a popular approach to frame the dynamics of inter-group and intra-group interactions in terms of trust.

When it comes to the relationship between people and technology, the attribution of trust is a matter of dispute. The intentional stance demonstrates that trust can be validly attributed to human relationships with complex technologies. However, rational reflection leads to the rejection of an ability to trust technological artifacts.

One of the key current challenges in the social sciences is to re-think how the rapid progress of technology has impacted constructs such as trust. This is specifically true for information technology that dramatically alters causation in social systems.

In the social sciences, the subtleties of trust are a subject of ongoing research. In sociology and psychology the degree to which one party trusts another is a measure of belief in the honesty, fairness, or benevolence of another party. The term “confidence” is more appropriate for a belief in the competence of the other party. Based on the most recent research, a failure in trust may be forgiven more easily if it is interpreted as a failure of competence rather than a lack of benevolence or honesty. In economics trust is often conceptualized as reliability in transactions. In all cases trust is a heuristic decision rule, allowing the human to deal with complexities that would require unrealistic effort in rational reasoning.”

Now let’s take a twisted view of trust. What circuitous journey am I going to take you on now? Trust is a natural foundation of living, but we have to let go of our vice-grip on reality to truly TRUST. This is probably the ultimate challenge for the change agent, you. It is self-initiating and ultimately self-fulfilling when the vision, mission, plan, practice and performance manifest as a successful endeavor.

In this kind of scenario and in order for us to serve a mission or purpose, the ‘me’ or ‘I’ has to take a break and sit out for a moment. The question arises, “How can I help with the best use of my ability, skills set and understanding for….?” With such a question and from a place of quiet observation one can allow a natural flow of appropriate contemplations or thoughts to emerge. Answers flow and quite often one simply ‘sees’ what needs to be done.

When one is able to step back and observe a situation BEFORE being engaged by it, there is the capacity for shaping the results in a positive way by simple non-attached observation coupled with that sensation of trust. Yes, it is another sensation. It has subtle differences from faith and love. Each has a frequency or resonance that is perceivable or perceptible by the body-mind sensory array. We just haven’t tuned ourselves in properly.

It applies to social architecture of the future as well. Faith, love and trust are intrinsic in developing personal and professional relationships, yet far too often we treat each other as potential enemies vying for attention, time and market share. People don’t change, a person does. If one finds people, places and things that promote happiness and harmony, how difficult is it to share those with their cohorts, peers or staff? If we are going to find sustainable processes that create a better world, what might we search for in the smorgasbord of solutions?

So what does this all mean, the twisted views? I have a feeling that these are operational foundations of our natural being. Our choice is whether we learn how to operate with them or continue to ignore them and flounder down the path to perdition we’re on as a planetary population. The practical side is the application of the new living awareness in everything we are, do and hope for in this life. It applies to how we treat ourselves, each other and our planet.

Some deeper part of me knows this is natural – BEing in faith, love and trust. The rest are distractions to the truth.

(signed treaty violated by Earth’s elite) “Much pain but still time.” Disregard for life in all its forms, yet there is time to facilitate harmony among people and planet. “Believe there is good out there.” NO THREAT from off planet civilizations. Paul Hellyer (retired Canadian Defense Minister) revealed this is well known in the Military Industrial Complex. “We oppose the deceivers.” Opposition for those who continue to control and manipulate through fear-based systems. Opposition does not mean aggression, either. Beyond the mirroring of behavior, authenticity and openness flow more than fear. “Conduit is closing.” No longer will deceptive practices be hidden – what is done in the shadows will come to light naturally. Human-centric notions will end. The Galactic Year is ending, cosmologically affecting our solar system, right down to the cellular brain of our DNA.

There has been a growing trend, an increase in consciousness, that assuages the old belief systems and offers a new living awareness. It is evident across the world and throughout existing belief systems that have fallen short of their intended purpose – to unite humanity as one. There is a New Time and a New Way; understanding that humans are related to each other and to ‘extraterrestrial’ races as a galactic family, a galactic federation of light. The so-called ‘dark intentions’ were merely the process of an evolving civilization separated from the true knowledge of their origins, learning how to manage or mis-manage resources – people, places and things. It is a challenge for humans to see this based on their (to date) short life spans.

Here we are now in the New Time, with renewed passion for reordering our world in harmony with natural law and order. We’ve learned, at an accelerated rate since the Harmonic Convergence, that when the doorway opened and the exponential shifts in consciousness began to occur aligned with the opening created by celestial alignments, the subtle energy dance with a different beat – that of the heart.

In this New Time, truth emerges as continuous discoveries are made in science, spirituality and technology. We know there are many dimensions, demonstrated by modern mathematicians and experienced by those who, for some reason, enter into realms of consciousness heretofore only hinted at in ancient texts. Humanity is indeed awakening. However, many still seek proof in some way. Consciousness is inherently intangible yet direct experience is available. We’ve kept our inner life at a distance, rarely visiting let alone actualizing outwardly in passionate deliberate creations. Many have risen to the tasks and are experiencing breakthroughs (which are sometimes a series of break-downs) in their personal and professional worlds aligning more.

On a different plane, the bodies of that vibratory rate (similar to the physical and visual experience of Earth, not limited to 3-D physics), haven’t even begun to be explored fully. We talk about multidimensionality, with limited if not rare experiences of it, yet even with all the talking heads, there is little provided that offers a direct experience of it on demand. This is where the scientific method comes into play and with repeatability, there is capacity for expanded knowledge and wisdom, the ‘right use’ which inherently resides in the higher vibratory experience. Now that we’re in the New Time, and the remainder of the 50-year cycle surrounding the 2012 Winter Solstice, the thoughtmosphere is ripe for harvest. Implementing the awareness garnered over the last 25 years, putting it in time frame orientation, we craft and execute a new living awareness and behavior in the world.

That behavior is a demonstration of how well you are aligned with this new living model that self-corrects as awareness continues to grow. The stories are being told, those who’ve incarnated are becoming aware of their connectedness to something bigger. It’s been illusive, this path of perfection embedded in our genes and soul, the consciousness brought on by discovery and sharing of psycho-spiritual as well as scientific technologies. For the time being, though, existing systems are still in play and many still have to pay bills. That is the dilemma that has faced three generations, starting with the Peace, Love and Harmony generation of the 60s.

The Occupy Movement was the collective conscience acting out with the first stage of ‘something is amiss’ and demonstrating for addressing the obvious problems caused by poor fiscal and physical management. The wave swept the planet in a few weeks, but it was not destined for achieving results, only awareness that a seemingly huge number of people around the world agree we have a common stake in the development of our future society. Oddly enough, Crop Circles appear that seem serendipitous to events around the world and continue to offer communication to us through the bio-circuitry of the bent plants that then transfers through the thoughtmosphere of the planet and people. It supports the subtle shifts of the cosmological events as our Mother, a daughter also, begins another cycle.

There undoubtedly many methods to achieve direct experience. One such form of experience available today comes from a technique developed in the 1950s by William Swygard, called Multi-Plane Awareness. It has only been performed as an individual experience through a ‘qualified’ facilitator for decades, yet no one has taken it to the next level – for distribution – now available as an MP3 download. Only your direct experience will prove its reality… or not. Responses from those who’ve tried it have been quite phenomenal…. the bridging of worlds beyond their imagination… http://ow.ly/jzAcb

Effective leaders are rare. They are created through the trials and tribulations of managing or working with people in a variety of settings. Most good leaders have had their fair share of hard knocks that awakened them to the greater potential within their scope of influence. Effective leaders are excellent communicators, able to speak the many languages of the individuals within the groups they lead. Oftentimes the individual perspectives may appear different simply from the type of language they use. A good leader pays attention to the facts and then makes decisions based on objective analysis of those facts, which is not to say that humanitarian factors succumb to the bottom line.

Effective leaders naturally motivate people from their actions, which include showing respect, listening, reflecting, and negotiating through conflict. Efficient leaders learn the strengths and weaknesses of their subordinates and cohorts and utilize group dynamics. Leaders encourage and empower people to achieve success rather than place blame. Leaders have solid vision and unshakeable persistence in achieving a goal. Serendipity follows them everywhere as if their environments are alive and vibrant with creative energy just waiting for an opportunity to manifest a synchronicity.. Their efforts are empowered by their ability to manage and organize both activities and time in their busy schedules.

A good leader is courageous, able to make decisions without hesitation, and maintains integrity of word and deed. Dependability is also a key trait for a leader must always be there for their group. Sound judgment and sensibility are also features of a leader, with loyalty, enthusiasm, endurance, and initiative rounding out the ever-expanding list. These characteristics manifest in a variety of presentations and situations, especially for project managers in process.

Project Manager Effectiveness
Project managers are leaders of small and large groups destined to complete a strategic project plan. Leadership characteristics described above can make or break a team. In all successful project fulfillments, it is the leadership of the project manager that determines the type of success for the project’s members. The most successful accomplishments are met with a sense of fun and reward when goals and objectives are met, all facilitated by the project manager’s leadership. “Persistent leadership is required to make partnering work. Project managers must “walk the talk” and consistently display a collaborative response to problems. Similarly, top management must consistently and visibly champion the principles of openness, trust, and teamwork.” (Gray and Larson, 2001, p. 373)

There is also an emerging element in project management. It was first introduced by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book Flow – The Psychology of Optimal Experience. (Harper and Row, 1990). He states that, “Instead of accepting the unity of purpose provided by genetic instructions or by the rules of society, the challenge for us is to create harmony based on reason and choice.” This reason and choice are the foundations of project management.

People are more productive when they have optimal experience, a sense of flow to their personal and professional lives. Mr. Csikszentmihalyi describes flow as “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.” This is the foundation for the highest productivity in any organization.

Project managers of today are successful due to their interpersonal relationships with everyone associated with the project. Providing an environment noted by Gray and Larson means that to incorporate the concepts and a delivery mechanism of optimal performance, Flow has to be incorporated within the foundation of the strategic plan. The attention given to this process empowers the leadership skills of each member of the team. Empowered leaders facilitate action and results, often better than anticipated.

CEO Comparisons
Leadership styles that are successful in one industry may not garner the same results in another. The integrity of James Burke, CEO of Johnson & Johnson, led the company out of a potential disaster when Tylenol’s tampering took place. Instead of following the recommendations of both the FBI and the Food and Drug Association, they recalled the entire supply on the market, even replacing customers’ capsule bottles with tablets. On the other hand, had he been faced with the knowledge that fossil fuel use is polluting air, ground, and waters of the world, would he have recalled the oil?

More often than not in the 80s, CEOs’ management styles were often tailored to their particular industry. Defense contractors had traditionally been led by threat rather than reward; demanding and commanding compliance and performance. Managing by threat creates an atmosphere of mistrust, which is diametrically opposed to current management philosophy. Many companies in this industry now have initiated a variety of sensitivity programs to bolster moral and productivity.

Inspired stakeholder involvement creates opportunity for evolutionary leaps in a learning organization, across the gamut of organizational type or industry.

Code of Ethics
The Project Manager Code of Ethics described in the text begins with:
“Project Management Professionals, in the pursuit of their profession, affect the quality of life for all people in our society. Therefore, it is vital that Project Management Professionals conduct their work in an ethical manner to earn and maintain the confidence of team members, colleagues, employees, clients, and the public.” (Gray and Larson, 2001, p. 550)

The Articles within the Code of Ethics describe the optimal practices of human accountability, creativity, and responsibility. With minor nomenclature changes, it could very well read like the articles for developing any kind of organizational foundation. Leaders, true leaders, exemplify these Articles in their daily living. It is the following of the precepts set forth in these Articles that make them the recognized leaders within the organizations they serve, be it a corporation or community.

In Waking Up – Overcoming the Obstacles to Human Potential (1986), Dr. Charles Tart postulates our will is largely a mechanical reaction based on conditioning, intelligence is severely limited compared to what it could be, and there is no true self controlling life from a state of genuine self-consciousness. This discovery, not only by Dr. Tart, is changing the way personal and professional lives are working. The attitude of project management reflects this change. The qualities of leadership and project management demonstrate the symbiosis of creating results in life or in industry. There is little difference between the two in our evolving society.

In more practical applications, communities and municipalities depend on these best practices for survival now. For instance, AzDOT partnering meetings engage every stakeholder to create a partnering agreement mission statement with goals for the project team [stakeholders], a code of ethics, an issue resolution plan for jobsite activity and an issue resolution plan for all known or potential issues. The most effective leaders engage the spirit of partnering, create trust relationships with subcontractors by being trustworthy and more often than not bring in projects ahead of schedule and below budget from value engineering addendums. This leadership choice, the partnering meetings, also reduced lawsuits by over 800%. This practice begs inclusion in every commercial and/or community project, especially now.

Conclusion
This writer proposes that a true leader is priceless. Demonstrating the qualities of leadership not only wins friends and influences people; it sets the standard of behavior within an organization. The writer’s perspective of a true leader is one who leads people by example through using a synergy of charisma, tact and skill in handling challenges, concern for the rights and privileges of others and care for the positive impact on people and planet within the scope of their leadership and beyond.

Biology of Change

Who are we? What are we? Bruce offers an explanation of how we can change our biology, how we can ascend from our current self-sabotaging world at-large. Too often we ignore the fact that the most life-affirming thing we can do is to know ourselves.

We espouse this notion as a result of wisdom shed thousands of years ago, yet we have numerous scientific examples of how our feelings and thoughts affect our reality.

Bruce and an old friend, Steve Bhaerman (aka Swami Beyondananda) teamed up to put these discoveries into a great book, Spontaneous Evolution, that shares even more details and great anecdotal side notes and heart warming rants from the Swami. I highly recommend it. What’s in your bottle?

In addition to Lipton’s model of the biological upwising, I would take the delivery system to deeper level, based on the discoveries in quantum mechanics and the growing consideration for quantum entanglement to be yet another name for a very old path. First of all, we know that thought is invisible, has no physical characteristics or density and can move matter when properly directed.

Granted there are few and maybe even questionable scientific studies to some, but the scientists at Los Alamos long ago realized that their thoughts had an effect on the results of their experiments, even the physical manifestations. So if this is a hidden effect that these folks have brought to light, why are we still giving it lip service and ignoring the obvious – we can train our minds to make a better life and world. I know, it is far easier said that done, but the fact that the logic path seems like so much sense being made common is undeniable. Or is it?

Alright, let’s look around a bit to see if there are any other bits and pieces of information that might lead to this potentially magnificent transcendence of human experience. Indeed we’ve been waiting on science to make sense of all the religious superstitions and spiritual understanding so that we could transcend the old ways while acknowledging the leadership and wisdom that got us here now. I’m not a half-full or half-empty guy. I have the carafe and a warehouse full of wine, or whatever your favorite liquid.

I look at things from a fool’s view, upside down. Why? Because when you peer at chaos knowing there is order within, it is far easier to find it and share. Viewing our reality from the perspective of how it appears to be connected in whatever awareness you may have of this notion totally flips the view, from separative to unified. We don’t see what makes us different. We see what makes us the same.

Where can we find that presented at a purely scientific level, yet find some reflection in the old ways or ancient texts that can at least be deemed, ‘possible?’

I’m going to turn around again and take that question in reverse. What is the worst thing we could possibly encounter according to one of the main religions on Earth? The Anti-Christ? Okay. We often find freedom in overcoming what we fear, right? Just follow me for a moment. Math is involved with science, right? Is there a magic number? Hmmm… 666?

It is supposed to be the number of man as well. So, what is man? What is our basic substructure that allows us to be in physical form? Carbon, right? Do you see where I’m going? Carbon has an atomic structure of 6 protons, 6 electrons and 6 neutrons. If anything, 666 could be the number of man. It certainly would put us all on a level playing field with equal foundation for all. Could this be the wisdom in the number? Okay, now what?

Can we consider our environment a ‘thoughtmosphere’ that we can observe as our thoughts permeate our bodies and, according to some sources, may even extend to quite a distance around us. How? One aspect is electromagnetic energy from our brain. Another is the ‘chi’ coursing through our nervous system. Yet another are the sensations we feel when in the presence of certain individuals, different from emotions.

So there is an intangible component that could, given our current understanding of electrochemical neurocircuitry, begin completely new pathways, with the assistance of one of those intangible benefits – our thoughts – aggravated, circumvented, contemplated, detected, implemented, infected, mutilated, rejected and underrated. At least that is where we’ve been getting assistance… unconscious behavior and run a muck thinking.

Let’s look at how that fits in with the last of the apocalyptic notions, the end of the Mayan Calendar or, more appropriately, the end of the galactic year. It is only a cycle of time, yet the implications brought up by the multitude of sources regarding the advancement of consciousness during this time sure fits the apocalypse of the Bible as well. Neither were intended as ‘end times’ scenarios, but featured a new era among humans – something transformational. It is a closing of one age and an entrance into another, but not only that, it appears to be a massive shift in how we look at life on Earth and with each other. Will we see world peace in our lifetimes?

That will remain to be seen and surely will be a product of how well we learn to work together to restore our environment, if we can, and end poverty in the world. Those would be the two greatest indicators of our success and, in reality, nothing short of that will give us reason to say we are truly a civilized world based on current best practices and thinking.

Now you might ask, “So, how does this affect my life. What’s in it for me?” That is the absolute best question you could ask right now. Why? Because in order to get the best answer, you’ll have to get involved in the process of answering it. Huh? Here’s another way of looking at it: you get what you give. In other words, the better you learn how to practice what you know is best for you, the more open and receptive you will be to better ways of being, doing and having your results be the evidence that is irrefutable.

Each of us have the opportunity of taking an inventory of who we are, where we are, how we are and when we are in the precious present. It’s part of the best practices of self-awareness, so we might as well dive in. What is the worst that could happen? You might find out you haven’t been as honest with yourself as you could have been. Cool. Did you get hit by lightning? Did your body tremble with fear as you faced the fact? Alright, so nothing happened. Imagine if you could change and be a better you? No one is perfect, so we can all improve a bit.

Alright, so if you run out of questions or would like to entertain some that have led to a better life for others, you might want to look into a short book I wrote about coursework for connecting to your inner-most observer. It’s called, aptly, “Cosmic Conundrum: Who Am I?” and you can find it as a soft cover or on Kindle, both available through Amazon for $19.95 and $9.99 respectfully. It is the result of over 30 years of intense personal growth and development in self-awareness.

I think any time one goes down this path, we wish to share what we’ve found in as many ways as possible. Although there is a cost for coursework, you’ll find a lot more of my work is available for free if you just do a search in your favorite engine. For now, you have the opportunity for an amazing 2013 with just this information alone. I am blessed by sharing. Namaste….

It’s 2013 now and we’re still here. We know, or at least some have a sense, that all things are connected – a holistic model of consciousness permeates creation. Quantum sciences are pointing toward this as fact now. We still choose to separate ourselves from others today, though.

Since you are reading this, yet another moment has come and gone without incident. Now what do we do?

Fear is being promoted at the very top of national leadership across the world. Even when prompted to contact or communicate with another, our ‘logic’ often prohibits the interaction due to fear of misunderstanding, rejection or threat of appearing less than what we think we should.

It has taken us centuries to arrive at the present conditions. Can or will it change in a few years? Will we rise above fear and embrace a new way?

How can we open our minds to something we’ve never experienced?

What if we were able to acknowledge the obvious?

Our minds and hearts are still in opposition, we fear what we do not know or have not experienced.

Oftentimes a new experience brings such a ‘rush’ of energy that we confuse it as a threat rather than a thread in the fabric of our evolution. We lock up – the fight or flight syndrome so common in psychology affects our emotional responses.

Are these our only choices? Do we have yet another choice yet unexplored? We can rise in consciousness but we actually take the mandatory rollercoaster ride to get there. It is our unconscious patterned desire for continued separation that inhibits our ability to connect, a pattern so deep and in such conflict with self/Self that wars are fought across the planet because of it. It’s time for it to stop.

Ancient Mayan and even Sanskrit terms in use today indicate we might want to consider some alternatives. ‘In lakesh’ (I am another you) and ‘namasté’ (internal and external obeisance to thee) both acknowledge the oneness in self and others.

The humble bow of recognition that is part of many cultures moves us closer toward a sense of unity or at least understanding. It is more than respect. I am challenged to see and sense myself in another, even with the extensive experience and knowing of this truth and having an attitude of gratitude. What about those unaware?

The Internet brings us closer in communication and yet further apart from physical communion with others. What do we really want anyway? The hot new belief system says we can attract what we want by identifying what we desire, giving it attention, and allowing it to happen. Easier said than done, yet it warrants further consideration for sure.

Implementing an action plan that creates the magnet for the desire of harmony among people and planet to manifest is the key that we seem to ignore, thinking that we can defy known scientific rules: potential energy remains at rest until acted upon.

Values, Morals and Ethics – Personal Ethics and Life

Personal conviction and ethics statement: I will to do good for all, desiring to serve humanity in the highest and best use of my mind/body/spirit complex, in the facilitation of a new world order of harmony among people and planet through presenting alternative solutions to community service delivery, participating in local socioeconomic and environmental service programs, development of a solutions-based state-of-the-art model community, and developing a website that promotes these endeavors and more in the change of consciousness necessary for sustainable living on Planet Earth.

It has been said that values, morals and ethics are inextricably tied together. Values are what we learn from childhood; the ‘stuff’ we absorb from our parents and immediate surroundings. Morals are the intrinsic beliefs developed from the value systems of how we ‘should’ behave in any given situation. Ethics, on the other hand, are how we actually do behave in the face of difficult situations that test our moral fiber. In his book, “How Good People Make Tough Choices,” Rushworth Kidder notes four basic paradigms of ethical decisions: justice versus mercy; short-term versus long-term; individual versus community; and truth versus loyalty. He goes on to define the concepts further:

The point behind the justice-versus-mercy paradigm is that fairness, equity, and even-handed application of the law often conflict with compassion, empathy, and love.

Short-term versus long-term, or now versus then, reflect the difficulties arising when immediate needs or desires run counter to future goals or prospects.

The individual-versus-community paradigm can be restated as us versus them, self versus others, or the smaller versus the larger group.

Truth versus loyalty can be seen as honesty or integrity versus commitment, responsibility, or promise-keeping.

Expressing one’s personal grasp of ethics and life may not always be understood in the context of the world at large, the immediate environment, or even amongst the intimate others in the household. This is usually due to the fact that every person has some difference, small or great, in the development of their belief systems. Belief systems are established early in life through environments of home, church, school, and social gatherings which help to mold and shape these beliefs.

Most of these beliefs and patterns of behavior are established through the unconscious observations and experiences of childhood in the aforementioned environments. These I refer to as ‘outer’ experiences which are akin to the ‘nurture’ piece of the ‘nature-nurture’ developmental processes. Allow me to use my own ‘outer’ experience as an example. My personal ethics and leadership feeds my enthusiasm for sharing.

I knew that I was adopted by the time I was five. My adoptive parents were ideal by some standards, demonstrating honesty, integrity, and willingness to address conflict with style and grace even in the most difficult of situations. Dad was a tool and die machinist, building plastic injection molds for General Motors optical division and was also a 32nd Degree Mason. Mom was an educator with a master’s degree in Music and English and taught middle school English and Literature.

They were a formidable team for an adolescent with growing pains, encouraging me to challenge and explore my world. My parents taught me that honesty was the best policy, even when the details may not be too favorable. They taught me the meaning of trust which was not being afraid even when I felt vulnerable. Of course that does not mean that I am able to apply that knowledge always, although age does have its advantages.

Where obvious bottlenecks occur in personal and professional environments I still tend to ‘go deep’ in conversations even at the risk of rejection. Paths need to be cleared of trash for solid relationships to develop. Now mom suffers from dementia and dad has advanced stages of Parkinson’s and I’m glad there were no bottlenecks in our relationship as I got older. Oh, there were some years of distance while I’ve been in Phoenix and yet we’re still close.

I also began having metaphysical, or paranormal, experiences around my 6th birthday. I refer to these as ‘inner’ experiences, or what I feel akin to the ‘nature’ element of the developmental processes. Our values, morals and ethics and intrinsic functionality in society stems from this place, although it is the ‘outer’ details that generally rule the scene. For most, the internal experience is often ignored because of the lack of external acceptance or validation. There was a disparity with my parents due to the lack of a frame of reference regarding my metaphysical meanderings which often caused me to question my own reality, by the way.

‘Trust but verify’ builds reliance on others and it is rare that one can find other psychic constituents in the workplace or in life for that matter. Consequently, the balance toward trusting others was often weighted by desire rather than discernment. The discernment came later as I began to understand that not all people were like my parents. Even they kept their distance in discussing certain spiritual experiences or subjects.

The lack of personal experience often creates barriers that are difficult to bridge, if at all. In fact, I found that disbelief and skepticism were more prominent than ever. People were often afraid of what they did not understand and sometimes allowed that fear to provoke unnecessary violence. Fear stimulates a plethora of disconnecting responses. I had learned that life was stimulated by connectedness so this presented a great enigma. How can one close this gap, at times a chasm, so that it can be reconciled or resolved? Personal ethics ascends to personal leadership in the face of seeming insurmountable odds at times.

Others’ motives were not always utilitarian, nor are their values, morals and ethics. Heck, mine weren’t always either. We all have some cosmic conundrums in selfish motivations from time to time. Some live their lives by those motivations. The resulting actions were often misplaced personal libertarian expressions of selfishness without regard to personal boundaries and affects on the environment, fueled by the presence of plethora of distractions from what is ‘healthy or prudent’ to what works for now or provides the most personal benefit. Honesty and integrity show up in the leaders who are willing to bear the cross, so to speak, of clearing the path to success of its garbage.

This process of restoring integrity (the congruence of values, ethics, and morals) can have emotionally devastating affects if one allows the projections of others to rule their lives. People with problems most often will project those problems onto others until someone or something presents a situation that challenges the person to change and provides a safe environment for them to do so. There are others who seem to attract these situations, usually because they have committed themselves to service in some way. The strength of character is reflective of the trials and tribulations one has addressed in their life and empowered by their ability to ascend from emotional manipulation and/or trickery. The proverbial look in the mirror allows us to see what we need to transcend, even in ourselves.

As I got older I learned that the inner life I was leading provided more concrete understanding of the nature of the outer reality and the actions of others. I read profusely for a time, gobbling up the great works of secular and spiritual masters to glean better understanding of my own experiences and to grow personally and professionally. Putting myself in the hot seat at seminars and workshops tested what I learned and tempered my sword of truth over time. I learned over the years that questions asked internally with sincerity are answered in a variety of ways, not always in the moment they are asked. We all still have to deal with human emotions and the occasional absurdity of the actions emotions precipitate.

Whether exposing options changed those actions or not varied from situation to situation depending on my ability to question congruency, the awareness of connectivity, and framing the emotional feelings and sensations verbally so that we could discuss them. Articulation without projection is a most challenging process. Most ‘first responses’ in chelas on the path are projective in nature, often defensive and full of irrationalities. The challenge to change still presents itself as I get older and more experienced with introducing interrogatives that do not put people on edge, although sometimes its fun to watch them squirm. However, insecurity is rampant in our society and even the most innocuous questions too often produce defensive postures. Fear, guilt and shame have ruled our lives for too long.

In my teens the greatest influence came through the Order of DeMolay, which is sort of a young men’s (14-21) Christian-based precursor to the Masonic Order. It was named after Jaques DeMolay, a Knights Templar, who gave up his life rather than betray his brethren during the Crusades in Europe. I was elected Master Councilor at fifteen and at 17, competed at the state Conclave through a speech on filial love and in one-meter springboard diving, achieving an honorable mention for the speech and third place in diving. Receiving the International DeMolay Medal for Saving a Human Life was another significant emotional event at the Conclave.

I had been quick to respond to an event at the public pool where I was a lifeguard the previous summer. I reached an unconscious young girl just after being struck by another diver, having perceived the outcome and entering the water before the actual event. Her parents pursued the newspaper and recognition of my attentiveness. I was just fortunate to have been watching and able to act on the event. Our Chapter Dad submitted the paperwork to the International Council without my awareness. Saving the life of another is a personal blessing for which there is truly no verbal or written example of the heart-felt response. I chose not to pursue the path of Free Masonry, although I honor its foundation of personal service toward the highest good of all even if personal sacrifice is necessary.

I learned the values, morals and ethics of teamwork in school through clubs, group projects and sports and individual participation in transformation: a guide for change support of the team through baseball, golf (medalist my senior year), and track. The competitive spirit was alive within me, yet it was not a ‘win-at-all-cost’ attitude by any means. I had a lot of natural academic talent and physical ability that I took for granted. I realized later in life that my knack for accomplishment stemmed from simply not knowing what I could not do. I missed opportunities because I chose to clutter my head with drugs late in high school and early in college.

In time I learned to be genuine with my affection and my attention; being cautious and sensitive in matters of the heart and a bit bold in exploring life’s opportunities. According to many authorities relationships should be more caring and considerate as we mature. Much later, my involvement in education and child development (divorced w/four children and an unfulfilled desire to be near them) demonstrated that the ‘norm’ during those years is quite ‘me-centered’ and emotional maturity comes later for most, if at all. I’m sure my behavior was quite indicative of a teenager, yet in the quieter moments my thoughts ran very deep.

I graduated 10th in my class of 300 and had no idea at the time that I could have been valedictorian had I put just a little effort toward excelling in academics. My classroom pranks brought my average down as well, having met the challenge of classmates without thinking of personal outcome. Teachers’ kids/preachers’ kids… not much difference. I got caught up in ‘wanting to be liked’ and did some inappropriate things. Academic and athletic abilities came naturally, yet my appreciation for them was diminished by my exploration into pot and hallucinogens. The drugs served two things – emotional escape and, surprisingly, a way to find a deeper connection with life – a paradox that seems to be prevalent in progressive lifestyles. They opened my ears, eyes and heart to new awareness that seemed an integral part of reality.

Still some do not understand this path is only short-lived, a mere stepping stone on the way to enlightenment and not a destination by any stretch of the imagination. Unfortunately many get caught in the quagmire and never return to reality. Some remain on the fringe and do quite well as pioneers, like Carlos Castaneda and Terrence McKenna. Many more have moved on to greater accomplishments in many fields. I still find that I let secondary priorities affect my efforts to follow my true passions in life, which I sense is the norm for most of us. Daily living offers the chance of many opportunities which call for the ethical and moral considerations for self and others before acting on those choices.

My second quarter in college started off with a real bang. I’d been dating a girl since my sophomore year in high school; ‘breaking up’ with her upon entering college because I was not sure I would be able to maintain monogamy. The first quarter brought some heavy emotional days of missing her so during quarter break I went back to ask her to marry me. I lost it after I found out she was already married, nearly a month prior. I was an emotional basket case for a long time afterward. My heart sunk in devastation and I returned to school determined to give my life to something with meaning. In respect of this I knelt in prayer and asked ‘Father’ to know truth and was willing to die for it if necessary. It was the most intense prayer I’d ever made.

A week later, while in meditation listening to ‘In the Morning Day’ on Journey’s first album, I heard a voice immediately after the lyrics of the song. It said, “Bruce, are you willing to die for what you believe in?” I paused for a moment, checking my beliefs (Christ in an ‘expanded’ view), and replied, “Yes.” Immediately I felt a tugging on my inner being. I let go and turned to see my body as I was moving away from it. O.B.Es were not unfamiliar, as I’d been having them since childhood. When I turned back to look where I was going, I was engulfed by white light. Personal ethics and personal leadership reached a defining moment in the stream of consciousness of my life. I was completely out of control of my senses, yet felt completely safe in the process.

I was only missing tactile sensations inside the light and as an impetuous teen, I asked if there was more. I felt another sensation of movement and found myself in the center of a sphere of pinpoints of light. After recognizing them as points of consciousness, whether in body or not I was not sure as I sure as heck was not, the voice resumed. “These are those that you are to work with in order to facilitate the new world order. It will happen in your lifetime. Know this to be true. Your path will be full of trials and tribulations. Everything you need will be there at the appointed time. … trust and allow.” At the completion, I returned to my body with a rush of energy followed by a gasp for air, leaving my eyes closed temporarily while getting reacquainted with my body. It was AWESOME!

Returning to my body was in itself a significant emotional event, let alone the previous few moments. I felt my question was answered and I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, consequently told my parents, and found myself talking with a psychiatrist a week later. To this day I still seek answers to the questions remaining from this experience. A blessing in disguise, my tenure with the psychologist helped me to begin to balance my inner and outer experiences, and to find order in my life. I saw him twice before he reflected his findings to me.

After a brief conversation on my third visit, where he revealed his values, morals and ethics in that he shared his view. I was not crazy by any stretch of the imagination. He said that I was going through a ‘spiritual awakening’ of classic nature, only that it usually happened when folks were in their 40’s. He asked me to follow him and we adjourned to the second story of his office in a beautiful historic home in Anderson, Indiana. This resulted in my first tarot card reading, which edified all we had discussed and more. I was ecstatic and intimidated by the ‘truth’ this session revealed.

His advice was to keep my mouth shut because few would understand, especially my adoptive parents who just could not relate to a spiritual awakening instead of a psychologically skewed son for whom they cared dearly and were frightened for his life. At the time I did not know that schizophrenia ran in my mother’s family and fueled their fears. In time the psychiatrist said I would find ‘flow’ (congruency) with my experience and the world. So, I learned that there was much more beyond my understanding of ‘truth’ and it seemed to be leaning toward being everywhere I looked.

I recently visited Dr. Abell on a whim while visiting my family. I dropped by to see if he remembered me and to give him signed copies of my books. I was in luck and only had to wait a couple of hours. He only works one day at week at 77, and I happened to show up that day. Well, he didn’t remember me. We did have a wonderful peer to peer conversation, sharing some stories of what we’ve found in our explorations. It only took 37 years. 🙂

It took a couple of decades to get the picture focused a little bit better through a starting a family, a cross-country move landing in Phoenix, Arizona, and a professional career that took me into many different industries. Metaphysical experiences were even more profound during this period and I feel they even helped to drive a wedge between my wife and I, eventually resulting in our divorce after 12 years of being together and birthing four beautiful children. Releasing emotional attachment to that whole scenario was the most difficult experience I’ve had, yet the essence of it has guided my life continually. I know that all things are connected, we just need to understand how and that emotional attachments are vastly different from ‘connections.’

I had and still have many questions regarding this supposed ‘mission’ I have been given. How was this ‘facilitation of a new world order’ all going to come to fruition? What are the ethical and moral considerations for engaging others? My professional background has become fairly extensive yet pales in comparison to those I hold as icons and leaders in various professional fields. As professional opportunities presented themselves, I began to conceptualize an environment that would demonstrate leading edge technologies in all fields and how they would work together in harmony with people and planet. It had to include every best practice and element of a global community on a micro-community scale.

Eventually the plan began to develop with enough detail that I could at least write an overview of the project, eventually becoming Genesis II. Some years later I met with Carl Bimson, a 91 year-old founder of a bank in Arizona, to share our Genesis II plan. He still had an office in the Valley National Bank building in downtown Phoenix and was available to talk with people by appointment. Mr. Bimson thought it was well thought out and suggested I go find the pieces. Quite unexpectedly, he then went on to explain how his wife’s psychic gifts and card readings had helped tremendously in his business and banking career. What a shock that conversation was… He and two brothers facilitated about 70% of the business development in the progress of Arizona’s growth.

After some time of considering Carl’s advice, I began my Master of Business Administration in project management in 1994 to continue the process of finding the pieces and knowing what to do with them when I did. Now, after achieving certification as a Hypnotherapist and in my second master’s program, I seek to continue the plan and assemble an organizational plan, including all necessary policy development, organizational duties and responsibilities, and management philosophy that will empower the assemblage of a team of dedicated professionals to take Genesis to the next level of development.

Meanwhile, we continue to develop Be The Dream (.biz, .com, .info, .net, .us, .ws – .org is now part of the Global Peace Youth Org and their Be The Dream Campaign honoring the 50-year anniversary of Dr. King’s speech.), our bridge of nonprofit and for profit endeavors, as an exemplary leader on the Internet through demonstrating the concepts of the community in a micro-economic environment. In a sense we are connecting the dots of commerce, education and community through our Cultural Creative ways. Ideas and visions need to have creative outlets, which meant that I had to learn a new skill – web development. What is interesting is that I truly have no idea how these concepts will accepted, let along embraced, by the corporate and/or philanthropic community. I am just a guy with ideas and a vision.

Over the years our values, morals and ethics moved us toward much development work and are we beginning to seek out potential backers and investors for the project. My personal ethics statement applies to the intrinsic dynamic of these projects, empowering results in our quest for success. Even though I’ve done extensive reading on a variety of subjects dealing with the socialization processes, actualizing these endeavors is proving to be quite the challenge, necessitating reflection on my personal code of ethics regularly. Am I really cut out for this? How do I/we engage others and fulfill their needs in the participative process? It is in this process that I am able to facilitate collaborative efforts in larger groups with others who have similar or congruent ethics and are doing something in their community about sharing them?

This will continue to be a great challenge and hopefully secondary priorities will become less distracting and invasive. Faith in ‘doing the right thing’ is imperative throughout the process. I have learned that my own concept of ‘time’ and fruition is often incongruent with the ‘divine’ timing and I am reminded of the need for humility, releasing my personal criticisms of where I ‘should’ be now and allowing the faith and trust in the process to resolve all concerns. It becomes more apparent as we grow older that cleaning up, clearing up, and moving on with refined moral and ethical behavior is the key to success…. everywhere.

Now, having joined with a compatible life partner, we have launched into this program together in order to ‘force’ ourselves to take the next steps in making our dreams reality. I moved on from education to Life Coaching as my ‘next-step’ in acquiring the skills necessary to help bridge inner and outer worlds in others. My partner is currently teaching gifted children in district school. We both tend to need to be in positions where we are compelled to do what is necessary because it is a requirement of the process. Some people work best that way. It seems that most successful people also follow this pattern of creating situations where they have to perform, meet deadlines and rise above the pack to achieve their dreams.

Everything turns out to be a process as time goes on. Utilizing the Internet to help ‘spread the word’ will undoubtedly meet with mixed results. As much as I have learned and know there is much more that I do not. I feel awed and inspired by this discovery process, engaged by the thrill of the next event. I have to rely on serendipity to move this project forward, where patience is a primary factor. I’m encouraged by the personal involvement and visionary efforts of a growing number of concern planetary citizenry, addressing the basic ethical and moral decisions within the scope of service to self and service to others. My hopes are that through this Master of Arts in Organizational Management program I will find more ways to make things real, practical and pragmatic, and continue to grow personally and professionally.

This paper was originally written in 2002 for Leadership 520 – Organizational Ethics, while enrolled in the Master of Arts in Organizational Management program at the University of Phoenix in Arizona. Additions are italicized.

Holistic: Cosmic Conundrum or Common Sense?

Making Sense Common

Holistic, adj.

1. Of or relating to holism.

a. Emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts.

b. Concerned with wholes rather than analysis or separation into parts

Defining the variety of subsets in the equations we consider for our daily living decisions have been the norm for many years. Not that we are necessarily mathematical in nature; simply that we calculate our actions to produce results whether we realize it or not. Our brains are like supercomputers that operate nearly unconsciously in the process, spitting out answers just in time to move our bodies or open our mouths. When defining ‘holistic,’ do we consider a systems approach?

We tend to focus on the immediate and be less aware of the larger picture of our lives and how we interact with the world. The latter growing general awareness reveals that indeed we are ‘connected to everything.’ This understanding is creeping into the consciousness of a growing segment of society. Some see things as being connected with some half-baked idea of oneness, but don’t know how to put it into practical use. On the other end of the spectrum, scientists are grappling with the concepts contained in quantum mechanics, still an idea of oneness and again with no practical outcome to date. What if we perceived the world as whole already and looked backward to see how we became so intimately engaged.

Now when this concept is cascaded through layers of patterned behavior and outcome, change is possible. Peering into the depths of what keeps us afraid, angry, ignorant and immobile might reveal the best way out. If we determine the bottlenecks, we can free the flow. In theory, harmony among people and planet is possible using current metrics in the applied sciences. We have ways to analyze and chart superior systems and know how they work.

Inquiring Minds Must Know

So what does that really mean? Let us explore some relevant data.

Peter Senge introduced the “systems thinking” model to the business world in the ’90s. He notes four disciplines, integrated by a fifth. Personal mastery, mental models, building shared vision and team learning are synergized by systems thinking. Basically ‘systems thinking’ is a way of viewing an environment from a broader perspective that includes seeing overall structures, patterns and cycles in systems, rather than seeing only specific events in the system. Those same patterns are likely to appear as fractals throughout any organization. Similarly, the human system is rarely considered in the process of personal growth and, instead of a whole view, we look at a specific behavior as the focus for change.

“A high-functioning system continually exchanges feedback among its various parts to ensure that they remain closely aligned and focused on achieving the goal of the system. If any of the parts or activities in the system seems weakened or misaligned, the system makes necessary adjustments to more effectively achieve its goals.” (Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC., 2007)

Could we apply this view to people and planet as we move into the new millennium? What about off-planet relationships? How about applying it to our body/mind/spirit/soul complex? In the concept of holistic systems we can extrapolate a theory of what oneness might look like from a logistical standpoint. No, that doesn’t mean from a mountaintop. It means we can begin to grasp being able to step out of the old paradigm of separation and stagnation.

Holistic health and medicine present a myriad of modalities capable of addressing the plethora of perturbations within the mind/body/spirit/soul or ‘system’ of our individual consciousness. In essence, we are vibration in motion affected by subtle biochemical and physiological changes for the most part. Now we must include environmental changes as our air, land and water have questionable purity. We also know that where we are affects many aspects of our health and mental clarity.

Indeed we are inextricably connected to the world around and within us. We feel sensations, but are challenged to describe them. Apparently we are not used to looking within yet. What about treating the whole person instead of just symptoms?

Holy Water or Stinking Thinking

Dr. Masaru Emoto’s research on water crystals, feelings and thoughts suggests that we have a profound capacity to affect ourselves and our environment. We are roughly 60% water or so. Just imagine the affect our thoughts and feelings have on each of us. What are you thinking about now? What was your last inspiring thought? How did that feel? When was your last desperate thought? How did that feel? Choice is optional.

Scientific discoveries continue to validate what mystics have espoused for years – our thinking affects our reality; the observer’s thoughts and feelings directly affect the experiment. Science and spirituality speak with one voice.

Are we listening? How do we think and feel in a holistic fashion that is life-friendly and supportive of change? Are we aware of the thoughtmosphere, the repository of intelligence we all share and how accessible it really is?

Holistic ecology reflects the argument made that “in order to move toward greener societies, homogeneity and universalism will have to be replaced by recognition of the importance of cultural, biological, and epistemological diversity. Without such diversity, the options for life itself are removed. We are all related at our core.

Indigenous peoples appreciate this diversity. Without such diversity, the options for life itself are removed. Collectively, they embody cultural and epistemological diversity, and by their very character respect the importance of the diversity that exists within the natural world.” (Timothy Boston, University of Tasmania, Australia).

Holistic education is a multi-leveled experiential journey of discovery, expression and mastery where all students and teachers learn and grow together. Holistic education recognizes the innate potential of EVERY student for intelligent, creative, systemic thinking. Holistic learning is organized around relationships within and between learners and their environment while empowering learners to live fully in the present and to co-create preferred futures.

Holistic curriculum is inquiry driven, interdisciplinary and integrated, and is based on explicit assumptions of interconnectedness, wholeness and multi-dimensional being. (Holistic Education Network of Tasmania, Australia).

How We Are Who We Are

You might want to ‘google’ Howard Gardner’s ‘multiple intelligences’ and Daniel Goleman’s ‘emotional intelligences’ to garner greater understanding of how we learn and work in the world. Suffice it to say we are very complex beings with very simple motivations and a natural urge to merge runs through our entire being. As we explore the notion of universal order or cosmic consciousness there is a certain inspired logic the permeates the thoughtmosphere.

We create relation ships on the ocean of emotion, usually buffeted by our inability to control our own emotions, driven by our desire to control. Emotion that is, operating our minds and bodies after a response is called for, instead of remaining quiet and observing the prudent path. Sense becomes common in our listening. When we step back we can see a bigger picture, a broader scope of how possibilities can coagulate to move the foundation of behavior to a higher order.

The growing wisdom about creating a ‘holistic’ relationship with the people and planet flows across multiple industries and the burgeoning global economy, not to mention echoing in the thoughtmosphere of a conscience that appears as a new trend toward ethical behavior. “This broader view and inclusive approach to personal and professional endeavors is challenging patterns of behavior and the ‘old way’ of doing business.” Daniel Pink

Change agents are melding with Cultural Creatives™ as the need for holistic practices in business is met. Business as usual, driven by profit and loss statements, is transforming into something much greater today as some individuals and companies are necessarily redefining their vision and mission statements to reflect a new mindset. To note a recent milestone, the International Standards Organization brought representatives together from 90 countries with the task of creating social responsibility standards. The ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Standards Draft copy is available at PlanetaryCitizens.net

The ratified copy was released in December of 2010 and provides a holistic approach to doing business and corporate behavior. This very well could be the tool that we can use to change the behavior of the corporatocracy. We certainly aren’t going to get rid of them, so let’s get them to act a little differently. After all, it is the internal informal communication fostered by management and employees that drives a company. Can you imagine an internal change that would foster ethical and responsible behavior?

A New Paradigm of Inclusion

The new 21st Century mindset includes a ‘holistic’ view, yet focuses on the practical elements that engage a new living awareness. After all, it is our awareness that changes and because of that change the world around us appears to change. When that change occurs to harmonize and resonate with natural patterns, rhythms and timing there is a shift. That is the shift we seek as we move into the new galactic year, another spin around the center of our galaxy. The current fragmentation of our society and developing global village demand a new view.

Might a holistic perspective seeking harmony among people and planet through best practices help? Einstein alluded that this might be an aspect of quantum entanglement, where the universe is seeking to reveal itself through extraordinary ordinary means, like learning to get along so we can care for each other without fear. Perhaps focusing on the health and well-being of a planetary civilization is more appropriate given our understanding of attention and intention.

Evidence of advancing connectivity and an evolving new view, a holistic world view model, is showing up in the co-creation wheel model that both the Thrive website and the Shift Movement. I wonder if Gamble and Marx-Hubbard conferred? Are there more folks climbing on the bandwagon for a holistic system emergence on the planet? I’m sure if you look around there are many other examples, like IBM’s Smarter Planet campaign. It seems Senge’s affect on the learning organization and systems thinking is filtering through the thoughtmosphere. There is still the matter of collaboration that remains in question. It seems competition for value still reigns, even with all the talk indicating otherwise.

How do we create value in the 21st Century? How do we create bridges for a holistic systems approach to planetary administration and merge diversity effectively? Whether we fear or welcome it, there is a ‘new world order’ that is emerging. How do we, as planetary citizens, make sure that the momentum takes us toward living as ONE – one people, one planet, one time?

It all seems to make perfect sense when we realize that there are enough resources to feed, clothe, house and provide health care for everyone. We’ve placed the economics of war over human life, though, and that mindset has to change soon or we’ll self-destruct. Even with those supposedly working for ‘good’… are they more interested in sharing or selling you something? The truly confusing piece of information is that we spend more money on corporate and military functions than, if redirected, would provide more than enough funds to feed, clothe, house and care for everyone. Of course those are statistics, but what if they are true?

Donald Keys, speech writer for U Thant in the 60s, coined the phrase Planetary Citizen on the way to creating The New World Alliance. The United Nations had some great leadership in these mean, attempting to create a holistic view of the world at that time.

From Donald Keys circa 1982… “To cross over the threshold and enter into a world of new and exciting promise requires us to fulfill the tasks immediately before us: first, to become aware; second, to accept responsibility for the human situation; third, to acquire skills; and fourth, to act wisely and well, consciously and continuously on behalf of… a better future for humanity.”

So now that we’ve made it past the latest bump in the road, let’s opt for a true apocalypse and transform our way of looking at the world, our lives and our relationships.